Traction-engine.



c. CQLAHAN. lTRACTION ENGINE.' APPLICATION FIL'ED FEB.14| 1918.'

Patented Apr. 15, A1919.

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CHARLES COLAHAN, F SIlOCKTON.' CAL'IFORNIA.

renommer-ENGINE.

recibio,

n Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. t 5, 1919.

Application lecl E'ebraary 14, 1918. Serial No. 217,146.

To all' whom 2'1 may concern: i

Beit known that- I, CHARLES CoLaHAN, a

Y citizen of the United States. and resident of Stockton. iii-the countyof San Joaquin'and State of- California, have-invented certain l new anduseful Improvements in YTraction- Engines, of which the 'following is aspecification, refereiicelbeing had to the accompanying drawings.forming 'a part thereof.

This invention relates to improvements 11i traction engines and moreparticularly to the pivotal ypoint of its com anion section.

that type employing endless self-laying traction members on which thevehicle is driven.

Among the objects of the invention is the j provision of trucks withg'ear driven wheels resting on the track, said trucks being-free toyield vertically to conforiiito the contour of Ithe ground over whichthe track travels.

Heretofore in machines of this class the supporting wheels of the truckare caused to revolve by frictional contact with -tlie exible platformor rail track upon which it Y `Thei'e are many objections to 'this oldmanner'. of actuating the truck wheels, as obst-ructions of mud andstones and dirt often will clog land 'prevent the revolution of thewheels, causing them .todrag on the! platform track, and occasion lossof power and obstruction to the forward movement, of the machine. n

The object of my invention is to ovel'come this great objection, andconserve the power Vby impart-ing a positive rotary emotion; to. -theseseveral truck wheels 'inde-pendent' of the frictional Contact of therail track.

Said truck consists of two independent sections pivoted togethercentrally, each 4Section having a rigid parallel arm forming apartjthereof, extending .upwardly .and over Each extended arm is yiedingly supported -on top of its companion truck, thus forming aperfectly iexible support andl cooperating yielding function theentirelength of the` track, andproviding ltleii'ibilityfv iii passing over anyinequality" or obstruction encountered in its travel. ,4,

The machine is 'supported 'on two endless tractionmenibers, one on eachside, being of duplicate construction.

The central -pivoted shaft of the trucks is provided with ageardrivewheel secured to the shaft thereof, having a sprocket wheel xed thereonthat is actuated by a drive chain secured onl the main axle of the trackdriving sprocket wheel at the rear of the machine.

This gear wheel upon the truck connectl ing pivotal shaft contactsdirectly with the central gear of the truck supporting wheels. having acommon rotary move-nient that is in harmony with the rising and falling-niovenieiits of the trucks. and by means of the intermediate idler`gear wheels that. eu- `gage with the succeeding truck wheels. iinpartthe desired rotation and positive' action to the truck wheelsindependent of the frjcf".

tional contact of the traveling' track upon which the wheels rest.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side eleva tion illustratino the tractionmechanism iiil wheel on shaft 21, which is mounted iii journals on therear of the main frame supported in bracket 17 attached to the mainframe ofthe machine inthe usual well known maiiner; 15 is the frontidler supporting wheel vthat, is adjustably mounted-on the -front endAlof the vibrating truck and has free vertical movements therewith. j

j -Tlie gear .wheel l is xed to shaft 2, which shaft is provided with achain driving 'sprocket 19'fixed thereon, and 'this shaft. also formsIthe pivotal connection of the vibrating truck sides-and isv actuated bythe driving chain` 18 .and'by sprocket 20 secured on the niaiiitlrivingshaft '21, the gear wheel l contacting with and operating the truckwheels 3, 3, there vbeing intermediateidler gear wheels l, el, toimpart. laesirgd' direction of continuous rotation of said' truckwlieels.

7, 7 'are' the supporting columns beneath the engine frame, resting uponthe arms G-f of the truck slides 5'. 11, 11 are the springs beneath theextended arms of vthe truck frame, each resting on the corresponilingtruck, that is maintained in position by the usual securing arm orstrut'S secured at the rear within bracket 8attaclied tothe sup'-porting' column 7 and jonrnaled on shaft 2 y at the other end. y Therear sprocket or main driving' wheel 16 of tlie rail track is iisuallysecured'an-d *A6 Supported in bracket -17 attac-liedto the main Vviframeof the machine, and its' correspondingrl traction belt, sprocket andidler wheels over which said ,belt is carried, 'flexible .truck l1&5frames provided -with supporting wheels within said belt, an extensionarm on eaeli of said frames', a centi-all)y transverse Vcon- Vnoctlngshaft to which sald truck frames are pivoted, and a gear mounted on saidshaft ,to a'etuate the supporting wheels tlirougli ear, Wheels'independently of tlie traction i da v i 2,5 'zand driving .said belt, aflexible truck snp-- port of tivo centrally pvoted members' mounted nvvlieels ivltlnn said belt,fand a gear mounted on the truck connectingcentral plv-ot or axle to actnate tlie truck wheels,

In a tractor,'i1'i combination, a lnainf frame, a'tract1on belt, meansfor carryingv n In a tractor, in combination@ traction belt, means`forcarry1ng and driving said belt, a resiliently vibrating truck in twoj parts mounted on vwheels within said belt` and traveling tliereoma.centrally transverse connecting shaft to which said trucks arecooperatively pivoted,- and means for 'driving l the' tri-ick wheelsseparati'ely by a gear mounted .on the truok connecting shaftindependent-lyof said belt.

ft. In a tractor, 1n combination, a main frame provided with yieldingflexible-en'dless tractionA members, independent `wheel trucks uponvvhlcli the main frame 1s supportedsaid trucks being located'Witliin'thetraction members and eenti'all)7 journaled on a transverse shaft aboutwlnch the trucks may osoillategsaid shaft being provided -with a gear toact-nate the truck vvlieels.

5. In. a tractor, in' combination, a traction belt, .means for carryingand driving said belt,.a Vibratable flexible truck frame in tivo partshavin wheels traveling-on said belt, and operateb'yA gears independentlyAof' said belt. t

'i CHAS. COLAHAN. lVitnesses: I

M. H. COLAHAN, L HUGHES.

